Another Thermal Store Request

[cyberscran]

Hi, could I impose on you guys for some info/advice.
We are about to re do our bathroom but first I think we have to replace the dhw cylinder.
Situation is, 3 bed Wimpey semi (ie.small) the current cylinder (120 ltrs, 900x450) was moved up to the loft about 15 years ago, the cwst was also raised to 1.3 mtrs above loft floor level. We have a Mira power shower and this is on the whole working not to bad (fed from normal house take off but with a dedicated cold feed from the cwst), slight aeration when demanding more hot water.
As part of the bathroom refurb we are thinking of a drench shower/steam cabin. I’m concerned that the current setup may not provide enough hot water for 3 people to shower (one after the other). The option of fitting an Essex flange to the 30+ year old dhw cylinder is out of the question, anyway I think its too small. And to be honest I would like to replace it with maybe a thermal store or similar.
It would be heated from the current Glow worm Flexicom condensing system boiler. This would allow mains pressure hot water and would also feed the radiators for space heating. Am I correct in thinking it would require two pumps?
We would also like to future proof with the option to fit solar panels, somewhere down the line.
The thing is would it practical to install a thermal store in the loft?
Also, are there any recommendations regarding make/model etc.
I hope this makes sense.
Thanks.

 

[verdigrey]

Insted of a Thermal store it sounds like you need an Unvented Cylinder . If you google that there are lots available . It has to be installed by a qualified engineer though . You wouldnt need a CWS tank above it , but is more expensive than an ordinary indirect cylinder .

 

[ecowarm]

Hi I have installed both of the thermal stores below and are very good equipment but I think I prefer the Newark



[DLMURL="http://www.newarkcoppercylinder.co.uk/cylinders/solar_thermal_store/"]Solar Thermal Store | Newark Copper Cylinders[/DLMURL] or Thermal Store, Thermal Stores and Thermal Storage Hot Water Cylinders - THERMflow


The advantage of a thermal store over an unvented cylinder with solar is you can oversize the solar panels and put it into radiators.

Eco

 

[stevetheplumber]

check before you buy a thermal store they dont normally run from system boilers as the pump is built into the system boiler and cant be controled by the thermal store
i actually have a gledhill boilermate which gled hills said couldnt be used with mt system boiler but i have disconected most of the gledhill controls and re wired my own

 

[ecowarm]

check before you buy a thermal store they dont normally run from system boilers as the pump is built into the system boiler and cant be controled by the thermal store
i actually have a gledhill boilermate which gled hills said couldnt be used with mt system boiler but i have disconected most of the gledhill controls and re wired my own

Control pump/ boiler as one unit any way, seperate pump for rads, easy 😉

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

and also can be prone to problems,not to later on in life,i like simple unvented for me

 

[oldplumber]

watch your water bill if your on a meter, drench shower and kids equals another mortgage, and not very green in this age of water shortages

 

[cyberscran]

Control pump/ boiler as one unit any way, seperate pump for rads, easy 😉

That was my thinking ecowarm.
My boiler uses an external pump, bog standard y-plan setup.

 

[cyberscran]

watch your water bill if your on a meter, drench shower and kids equals another mortgage, and not very green in this age of water shortages

I understand your concerns oldplumber but luckily I'm in the west of Scotland, plenty rainfall and no water meters, yet!!

 

[stevetheplumber]

Control pump/ boiler as one unit any way, seperate pump for rads, easy 😉

a lot of thermal stores come with the pumps fitted and prewired which means you cant use a sytem boiler

 

[ecowarm]

a lot of thermal stores come with the pumps fitted and prewired which means you cant use a sytem boiler

Just specify your requirments on order, it just means one less pump on the store

 

[cyberscran]

Thanks guys,
If we were to go for the thermal store option the existing pump, controls and 3-port valve would be binned.
It’s my understanding that with a thermal store the setup would be:-
1. When the thermal store stat demands heat, pump 1 would supply this from the boiler.
2. When room stat demands heat, pump 2 would circulate the same water round the radiators.
Would I still require a 3-port valve in the space heating side of the system, to use either boiler or thermal store water for the radiators?
Or am I talking rot?
Thanks,

 

[ecowarm]

No you dont need a three port, Rads are supplied from thermal store and when the temp in the store drops the boiler fires.

The store could be full of hot water from solar panels and if large enough can supply heat all evening without the boiler needing to come on.

eco

 

[stevetheplumber]

personally im a fan of heat stores easyier to fit than unvented water preasure isnt limited to just 3 bar
no blowout pipe work to run
no certificate needing renewing every 5 years
no air cap to loose or preasure vessel to rechage
work well with solar